Hello! I am 19 years old and just recently diagnosed with SIBO, as well as some degree of malabsorption based on my low vitamin and mineral levels. There is also a possibility (still undergoing tests) that I may have PCOS. Over the last few days I switched to a diet comprised of mostly fruit, vegetables, meats, and a few gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free baked goods (made with almond and coconut flours). I thought it would help me, but instead I became extremely bloated, very gassy, and had an almost continual stomach ache for several days. I am guessing it must have been the fiber in the almond and/or coconut flours? Obviously, it’s not going to work. I would love to do your diet, but I am concerned about my weight. I wish I could cut down the carbs as I feel much better without them, but I only weigh a little over 90 pounds as it is, and on a very carb-filled American diet! I have dropped about 10 pounds in the last year, completely unintentionally, and I also found out several months ago when I was in the ER for an ovarian cyst that I am in ketosis. I am scared to try this diet, yet desperate for some help!

Hi Sarah, Being in ketosis is not a problem IMO and should not contribute to excessive weight loss. But SIBO fueled by “the carb-filled American diet” can lead to excessive weight loss via malabsorption. Also, the Fast Tract Diet allows for enough low FP carbs to keep you out of ketosis if desired.

Hi Sarah
BOY do I WISH I had the Fast Track Diet when I was your age. Having undiagnosed SIBO for years, led me to chronic carbohydrate malabsorption, and nutritional deficiencies. If I could do it over again I would follow Norm’s diet. You will get your symptoms under control and eventually can have the very occasional cheat when out with friends. I wish I could talk to my 19 year old self, but instead I will tell you ! 😉

Lisa, if you have questions you can post them under topics in the forum area with titles such as “Fast Track Diet users” etc..? I followed the intro diet but kept it a little simple so I often repeated recipes and sometimes just used the fermentation tables in the back. Stick to really simple things.

Question, I just picked up the book and want to start the diet. I’m scared as the last 6 months I have heard that dairy is bad and Splenda? Is that healthy? I’m also dealing with gastritis and leaky gut so I have constant stomach burning as well. Any tips or advice? Thanks!

Hi KKing,
Thanks for writing and I understand that you have some concerns about trying this new type of diet and specifically about Splenda and diary. Your questions are addressed in both the Fast Tract Digestion IBS and Heartburn books.

The Fast Tract Diet concept: The whole idea is that IBS, Heartburn and many other SIBO-related symptoms are driven by excess fermentation of undigested carbohydrates. Even though dairy products (except lactose free milk, etc.) all contain various amounts of lactose, some fermented dairy such as aged cheeses, and yogurt (go with the unsweetened) have much less lactose than milk for instance. These products are relatively low in overall fermentation potential and should not be a problem when consumed in limited quantities. Don’t overdo it however, since diary products also contain oligosaccharides which can cause symptoms in excess. You can also take a lactase supplement when consuming dairy.

As for Splenda, despite a solid safety record, some people do have concerns. Since it’s not a natural product, a bit of skepticism is healthy. As I discuss in my books, Splenda can easily be substituted for other sweeteners including stevia, dextrose (powdered glucose), erythritol (the one friendly sugar alcohol), or maltose (not for people with gluten sensitivity).

Hi there! Thanks so much for your reply. I really don’t know what my issue is at the moment. I seem to be at a standstill. I have been diagnosed with SIBO (high methane) as well as gastritis so I’m also assuming I have leaky gut. This combo is making it almost impossible to get better 🙁 I’m not sure that I have a bad issue with dairy (never did before getting sick) but it could be the caisen? If that is the case would any of that work? Or would staying away be better? Like I said, I’ll have these weeks where I will get so sick (burning stomach, bad nausea, bowel issues etc). I’m just so confused on which route to take. I want to start this diet because I feel like the stress of not being able to eat anything just makes this process worse but I’m scared LOL. Any advice? Do you think the burning stomach could have anything to do with SIBO or leaky gut?

Hi, KKing,
You don’t have to eat dairy or splenda to follow the diet. You do need to read one of the books to understand it, though.
Personally, I’ve found it effective when combined with other diets/suggestions, especially the GAPS diet where, if there is a conflict with Fasttrack, to go with Fasttrack. Specifically, homemade, free-range/organic bone broths are VERY healing to the gut system. Also, eat no raw vegetables until you feel better, but make sure your low fp veggies are well-cooked.
Other things I do: take DGL and slippery elm for gastritis, and try natural antibiotics: GSE and enteric coated peppermint oil capsules.
It took me two weeks to start to feel better, and I feel worse w/i 1 day if I eat off the diet.

Kristina it gets confusing when you say “dairy” as portions are KEY, as is lactose content. As we have discussed, milk is high in galactose and oligosaccharides. When you are feeling stable, try a bit of butter and go from there. Forever I thought I have a casien allergy. Very doubtful that is the case now that my SIBO symptoms are better managed.

KKing, I love dairy! I attempt to keep my consumption of it to a minimum. I recently did 2 home breath tests designed to detect lactose malabsorption and fructose malabsorption. I was delighted that both tests came out negative!
I accept Norm’s premise that my problems are due to SIBO, as I’m so, so much better with keeping my fp carbs low.
Yes, I have gastritis as well, although it is nearly healed also. I’ll try cutting back on the bone broth soon.
The main thing is to be patient — these problems don’t go away overnight! Hang in there.

49 Barefoot
How long have you been on the diet? And, did you notice a shift of symptoms at certain points? For example, my bloating and gas reduced almost immediately by 90-100%. However, I now seem to be burping more often and having sternum pressure. Perhaps before, my SIBO was so severe that I COULD NOT burp! And now I can, which prevents the bloating, but still signifies I have some overgrowth. Anyway, just wondering if you might go through a brief timeline of how things progressed for you. So happy to read that your gastritis and other sx are so improved!!!!

49 Barefoot, my holistic doctor has observed for 20 years, that people seem to tolerate RAW dairy much better, because the live microbes produce their own lactase, I beleive. I seem to tolerate some raw cheese and really enjoy that. Just a suggestion if you are dying to add in another serving of dairy!

I’ve been following the diet about 2 months, and it took a month for me to really start to feel better. My symptoms shifted from heartburn to LPR, and it’s quite mild at this point.
I already mostly have raw dairy, and except yoghurt isn’t raw, and I’m lucky to have a local source of raw goat’s milk! But I’d been drinking it off and on for several years, and only developed the g.i. issues since July. I’d also already been eating, for many years, a healthy, moderately low grain, low refined/processed but organic/grassfed diet. So although symptoms were very severe for a couple of months, I think it was due more to a drug reaction than really bad SIBO.

Are you eating the complete diet, including rice and potato? I figured since I still have LPR symptoms (fairly mild I think? Tho not sure what to compare it to) that I should try a keto version of the diet-so no fruit, rice or potato. I would love to have some berries again, but was thinking of waiting till my symptoms improved. Do you feel your symptoms are improving, even while consuming rice, potato and fruit?

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